Twice Upon a Time
by kitty-goes-meow42
Summary: RyouxIchigo. Ichigo married Mayasa. Ryou married Retasu. Their families became enemies after Ichigo died. What happens when Ryou's child and Ichigo's child replay their love 100 years later. Will history repeat itself? Not during TMM time
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Nothing really… if I did own Tokyo Mew Mew, I wouldn't be writing here would I?

Prologue

There are many stories that begin with "Once upon at time..."

But this story

Is a story

Like no other

It happens not only once

Upon a time

It happened twice

It is a story with a Romeo and Juliet

Struggling so that they could

Be together

And live happily ever after...

But that once... that love failed

And the spirits of the two lovers...

Came upon their children's children

Generations later...

They are just in hope,

That they won't make the same mistakes

Again...

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Chapter 1

"Ichigo…wake up… It's time to get ready!" said a girl with a monotone voice.

Ichigo was wrapped up in her covers like a burrito. She was definitely not looking forward to this party.

"Mint… leave me alone… you know on how I highly dislike going to the parties of the Ryou descendents. I thought our families were enemies…besides, its a lot of hours until that party! It won't take that long to get ready!" Ichigo replied, keeping her eyes shut.

"Ichigo… I know how much you hate these parties… and so do I… but it's said that these parties were the sake for our mothers' mothers' mother's…whatever… but they were best friends…besides.. It would surprise you on how long it would take to get into that dress…" Mint replied in a know-it-all voice.

Strangely enough, though these parties only happen yearly, there were so many celebrations shared between the Ryou descendents and the Mayasa descendents.

Ichigo's eyes bolted open, though showing reluctance to get up glistened in her chocolate brown eyes. Her pink hair was all over the place, giving her a really wild look. She glared at her blue-haired elder sister, with blue-eyes filled with loathing and boredom.

"I see that you're excited for the party…" Ichigo smiled sarcastically, showing her pearly teeth. Mint just smiled back with a mischievous grin.

"Hurry up! We need to get you ready and beautiful…Maybe you'll see Mayasa there!" teased Mint.

Ichigo's pale cheeks from sleep tinted with a healthy pink, as her eyes were filled with happiness and the corners in her mouth slightly went up. Then, her eyes filled with panic, and her smile turned into a frown. Mint stifled a laugh as she saw her younger sister bustle about and panic.

"OH MY GOODNESS, OH MY GOODNESS, OH MY GOODNESS… WHAT IN THE WORLD AM I GOING TO DP? OUCH!" she squealed as she tripped on one of her pillows and landed on her hard stone floor. Luckily, it had a rug over it to prevent scratches and scrapes.

"Calm down Ichigo… you dress was already laid out for you… you were just dumb enough not to notice it…" Mint said strictly. She was getting quite annoyed of her sister's childish actions over a boy yet…

Ichigo's chocolate brown eyes grew wide, as they filled with tears. "I just wanted to look really good for Mayasa…" she cried. She felt quite dumb that her dress was on her bed and she just threw it of in her state of panic.

"And since your not a young girl anymore… you will have to start wearing a corset!" Mint said, with no emotion whatsoever. Ichigo looked at her like she was crazy.

"You are not getting me in a corset! And that's final!" Ichigo huffed.

A FEW MOMENTS LATER…

"I can't believe you got me into a corset!" Ichigo whined, as Mint pulled tighter on the strings. She'd taken a nice bubble bath…put on skin cream… and now this!

"That was quite easy younger sister," Mint said with a huge breath. She was struggling to tighten the corset, for it was cutting her fingers, "All I needed to say that Mayasa would notice your beautiful body and curves if you'd worn it…" Mint said.

"FINALLY," Mint said in triumph as she finished lacing the corset without it loosening.

"How…do…people…breath...IN THESE THINGS!" Ichigo yelled, trying to get enough air in her first few words.

"Yes… you'll faint quite easily if you get scared in corsets but… they'll look great in the dress… now let's put on the dress!" Mint smiled.

Ichigo whined inwardly, knowing that she couldn't say no.

"Fine…" she mumbled.

"You're finally being a good girl…" said Mint sarcastically.

It took quite a while to get the dress on… there were so many layers! But still… it was a beautiful design. She had white gloves with a ribbon to tighten it at the wrist. It was sleeveless, and was tight around her chest. Her dress itself was the colors of white, pink, light pink, and hot pink. To complete the dress, her hair was put into pig tails, and a bell was tied around her neck. During that process, Mint told her a little bit of the family.

"You know what's weird? They say that our ancestor's name was Ichigo! You guys have the same name. They always had storied that Ichigo was beautiful, yet when you were born, they said she looked like you! That's why your name was Ichigo!" Mint said, though there was an irritation in her voice.

"Well… that's nice…" Ichigo said thinking about what Mint was saying. She'd seen pictures of her ancestor "Ichigo", did look like her.

"Thank goodness I have longer hair though…" replied Ichigo happily. She didn't like her ancestor's style of short hair. Ichigo's hair was a few more inches beyond shoulder length.

"Yeah thank goodness… though I would say I'm prettier than you are…" mumbled Mint. Mint didn't hate her sister, but she hated the fact that her klutz of a sister was like their graceful ancestor.

"I also heard that the bell that you're wearing now was the famous bell that symbolized Ichigo's true love's love for her," Mint sighed dreamily.

"Don't worry Mint… I know you're more graceful… more beautiful… yet lazier than I am!" said Ichigo, half complementing and half teasing. Mint just laughed at what Ichigo said.

"Who did your outfit anyway, I notice that YOU are ready…" said Ichigo.

"Mother helped me… and she told me to help you so we could have more "sister bonding"…" replied Mint with a slight irritation in her voice.

"Oh…" said Ichigo. Mint was almost finished with the dress, all Ichigo needed to do was wear shoes and make-up.

"Ichigo, I'm putting on light pink blush and eye color okay?" Mint asked. Ichigo just nodded, already closing her eyes.

After a few minutes, Mint said that Ichigo was done. Ichigo's last stop was putting on a high heeled open sandal with gold straps holding her foot.

Ichigo tried to put on her first shoe, but failed miserably. As she put her foot in and reached down to put on the strap to secure her foot, she fell over.

"BE CAREFUL ICHIGO! YOUR DRESS WAS VERY FRUSTRATING TO PUT ON!" replied Mint.

"Mint… can… you… help… me… with… this…" Ichigo said breathily. The corset was finally taking over her.

"Okay…" Mint said. Some could say that she was starting to hate her sister, but others would say that she was just hiding her laugh she wanted to let out.

After a few MORE minutes, Ichigo was ready.

"Oh my goodness Ichigo… you look beautiful… you don't look like that klutzy sister of mine anymore!" Mint said, not sarcastically, but seriously.

Ichigo closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She recalled Mint having a hard time with her corset… what if she looked fat? She turned around, but still kept her eyes shut. She could feel the cold hair coming from her open windows touch her bare skin on her shoulders.

"I'm not kidding Ichigo… look in the mirror!" Mint demanded.

Ichigo opened one eye slowly, and then opened the other eye. She looked at herself with awe. "Is that me?" she asked herself, yet not realizing she said that out loud. In the mirror she saw Mint's beautiful and graceful figure, her head nodding.

Ichigo's supposed childish pigtails gave her the look of youth, and enjoyment of life. Her pinks were a very light pink, which just showed that she had life in her face. Her dress made her and her body look matured, and there were nice curves. Ichigo being still young, thankfully did not have huge breasts, but were big enough to be there and fit in her dress. For the first time in Ichigo's life, she looked like a young woman, not a young child.

Out of all, her chocolate brown eyes stood out of her whole outfit, for they were the only ones not related to pink or white. Ichigo's hand went to her bell, which rang as she turned around to look at herself, not believing that it was her.

"Mint… thanks you…" Ichigo smiled gratefully towards her sister, who smiled back.

"I'd still say I looked prettier than you…" Mint huffed. Ichigo just smiled, and hooked her arm around her sister's and started walking out of her room. It was time for the party.

"DEARS, YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL! Mint, as graceful and headstrong as ever… and Ichigo! As excited, and more matured!" squealed their mother as she walked up quickly to meet them at the stairs.

Mint, you have great artistic abilities! You have finally made her sister into a young woman!" said their mother happily. Mint blushed. She usually wasn't noticed of her mother because of her sister's uncanny likeness to their ancestors.

Their mother's dress was simple, a sparkling dress of blue. Her face shined with youth as Ichigo's, yet there were a few wrinkles on her forehead showing that she was getting old herself. Their father was just in a normal suit of black and white, obviously not wanting to go that party written all over his face. His face was creased with worried, and stress during work. Yet his wrinkles of age did not disrupt his overall handsome looks.

"I don't see why you let them dress up for our enemies!" scoffed their father.

"Henry! They're not only our enemies, our cousins and friends are also coming there! I heard that charming young boy Mayasa will come! Besides, my sister may have married that Ryou descendent, but their family if very nice. I can't even believe that we have an enmity against them… but then, that is family!" said their mother happily.

The two sisters watched in awe as their mother's blossoming personality and beauty cracked their hard shell of their father. He smiled at his wife, thinking second thoughts and maybe the party would be good for his daughters to find suitors.

The couple was exact opposites. Their mother was well-rounded and a social butterfly, while their father was conservative and not very sociable.

"Now let's get into the carriage shall we?" said their mother, smiling as their father took out his arm and offered it.

"May I, Silvia?" he asked, and she just laughed, saying that he was acting as if they were young again.

The two sisters followed their mother and father to a white carriage rimmed with gold. Their driver was a nice man, who directed their white horses in front. Their driver's name was Haru, who Ichigo noticed winked to Mint, and Mint slightly blushed.

"Do those to have a special relationship?" thought Ichigo to herself. That thought was eventually lost into a deep pool of worries and thoughts that swirled in Ichigo's head.

Her stomach felt full of butterflies, and her mouth felt cottony. The thought of seeing Mayasa again was making a wreck out of her! She could remember the first time she saw Mayasa. His black hair always getting in the way of his eyes, his dreamy onyx eyes… he always loved nature. Maybe even more than her… could Mayasa stop paying attention to what's out there and look what's in front of him?

Ichigo was worrying as she looked outside and trees… she didn't mind Mayasa becoming a scientist and liking biology… but for once to look at her and notice her.

"Aren't most of those scientists mostly whacko?" a thought popped up into Ichigo's head. She shook her head and told herself that Mayasa was not going to turn into somebody weird and look ugly.

Ichigo spent most of her time worrying, that she hadn't noticed that they were finally there yet until Mint pinched her.

"OW!" Ichigo squealed and glared at Mint, who was already outside of the carriage.

"Ichigo, go inside right now! Mama and Papa already went inside so it wouldn't appear that rude! Thank goodness we arrived early or we would've been late with you bumbling and worrying!" Mint said, pointing to a huge mansion that the carriage stopped right in front of them. Ichigo glared at Mint, but went outside anyway. It was cold, really cold. Thank goodness for the many layers on her dress and her shawl (her shawl was pink as well).

Ichigo went outside, and waited for Mint. But Mint said she needed to pay the driver. Ichigo thought that it was something else, but didn't exactly want to see Mint and the driver kissing if they did so she left.

She hadn't noticed how bumpy the cobblestones were leading up to the mansion, or how long and how many gardens she had passed. The wind was very strong as well, and if Ichigo's hair weren't in pigtails, or even up, her hair would be all over the place.

"Dumb shoes…" Ichigo kept muttering to herself as the heels eventually went into a crack. Walking on a rough terrain isn't fun with heels either.

"I wonder how Mint and Mama survive this torture…" Ichigo thought to herself as she continued her chant of dumb shoes. First, the corset and now painful high shoes… Sooner or later, she was going to faint.

"Sadly…" Ichigo thought to herself, "The corset even ups the percentage of me fainting!" Ichigo stopped for a moment to look up at the mansion. It may be early, but in the winter, it gets dark very early. She looked around for Mint, but there was no sight of her. Maybe her first guess was right… Mint was kissing the driver. Now that thought made her laugh… but they did look kind of cute.

If it weren't for their age differences and his relationship with her older sister, Ichigo might've had a crush on their driver. But she didn't, and that's all that mattered.

Her deep thought once more made her not pay attention to what was happening, so her grip around her shawl loosened. This made it easier for the wind to take it away.

"SHAWL… WAIT… COME DOWN!" Ichigo commanded of her shawl. But a shawl being an inanimate object, and it being weak against the wind, it did not come down.

Therefore, Ichigo chased it into the descendent of Ryou's gardens. There was where she started repeating history once more.

A tall form of a man jumped and caught Ichigo's shawl. Ichigo stopped for a moment as he caught her shawl and observed it, but then walked up to him.

"Thank you for catching my shawl…" she said shyly. Ichigo was definitely not good with talking to strangers.

"You know… telling your shawl to come down won't do any good…" the boy chuckled, making Ichigo feel embarrassed and annoyed.

"Well… anyway, I thank you… now can you please give me back my shawl now?" said Ichigo angrily.

"Fine, that's a nice thank you-" said the boy before Ichigo got angry.

"A NICE THANK YOU, I GAVE YOU A NICE THANK YOU DEAR SIR BEFORE YOU RUDELY SAID THAT TELLING MY SHAWL TO COME DOWN WOULDN'T DO ANY GOOD!" fumed Ichigo in outrage.

"Whoa, whoa, calm down!" said the boy, saying the words that you normally say to a horse.

"Do not treat me like a horse! I am a descendent of Ichigo and Mayasa! HUMPH!" said Ichigo, snatching her shawl back rapidly from the hands of the boy. But not before she noticed his features.

The boy was charming. Blonde hair and ocean blue eyes that were filled with mischievous plots no doubt. His mouth was curved upward in a smirk, showing that he was enjoying Ichigo's outrage.

Though the boy's features were charming, his eyes and smirk angered her even more that made her leave the boy as soon as possible. This anger fueled her to go up to the mansion, without noticing how cold or how rough the road was.

"ICHIGO! What happened and why are you so late?" scolded Mint. Ichigo got the gist that she had been gone for a while. She somewhat got lost in the gardens but got to the mansion as quick as she could.

"I had to get my shawl which went into the gardens and I got it…" mumbled Ichigo, "How was your session with Haru?" she sneered.

Mint's expression softened and just smiled, "Let's brush your hair, your pigtails are getting tangled…"

Mint pulled Ichigo to the side and sat her down at the chair to brush her hair. Ichigo was far from bored as she was getting groomed, she watched in wonder like a little girl again as she saw others dancing the waltz and other ballroom dances.

Of course, she'd seen these dances many times herself but to see it, and know that she would finally be able to dance, that is after she gets her hair brush, excited her to know what steps to do.

While brushing her hair, Ichigo and Mint were approached by a certain boy Ichigo did not want to see exactly.

"Hello Miss Mint, Hello Miss Ichigo… may I ask you to dance?" said a familiar blonde-haired boy.

Mint greeted him with a smile, obviously not knowing who he was or what he did to anger Ichigo, but Ichigo gave him a weak smile. She knew that she had to be polite and her parents wanted her to dance with every bachelor in the party.

Before Ichigo said yes, which Mint was pressing her to, Ichigo started looking around the party, hoping to see that the annoying boy was not single, but indeed engaged, and she did not have to dance with him.

Ichigo saw no one, and saw Mint from the corner of her eye glaring at her, so she reluctantly took his hand, as he wrapped his arm around her waste to dance.

How is it? PLZ TELL ME! I want to know… I'm still a beginner at writing these fics, so please go easy! NO FLAMES! I just want some tips, compliments, and maybe light critism…

Aphros


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer: I have nothing to complain about unlike those ungrateful others out there :P! im kidding! HONEST! I'll get on with the story…**_

_Previous Chapter_

"_Hello Miss Mint, Hello Miss Ichigo… can I ask you to dance?" said a familiar blonde-haired boy._

_Mint greeted him with a smile, obviously not knowing who he was or what he did to anger Ichigo, but Ichigo gave him a weak smile. She knew that she had to be polite and her parents wanted her to dance with every bachelor in the party._

_Before Ichigo said yes, which Mint was pressing her to, Ichigo started looking around the party, hoping to see that the annoying boy was not single, but indeed engaged, and she did not have to dance with him._

_Ichigo saw no one, and saw Mint from the corner of her eye glaring at her, so she reluctantly took his hand, as he wrapped his arm around her waist to dance._

**Chapter 3**

Ichigo walked with the blonde-haired boy to the dance floor, and was eyed by a other bachelors. Ichigo's stomach turned… why couldn't they have come to her sooner?

The boy stopped and looked into her eyes. Chocolate eyes met ocean blue ones. She stared at them for a moment, entranced at its color, but then pulled her gaze away and looked down. The boy smirked and put one arm on her waist and the other around her hand. Ichigo just looked at him, blushing as he put his hand around her waist. When he started to try to dance, she didn't budge.

"Can you at least dance with me, people are starting to look and I hate people staring at us? I mean, I did you a favor by dancing with you… I could see it written on your face that you were absolutely smitten with me that you're afraid to dance with me! I mean, I would have loved to dance with your beautiful sister but didn't want you to get jealous." he chuckled, making Ichigo blush and get angrier.

"I am not smitten with you! You're so arrogant! And how did you find out MY name and my SISTER'S name anyway? Why couldn't you dance with HER? I wouldn't care anyway… I was looking and waiting for someone!" she countered.

"Be quiet… anyway… I'm surprised you hadn't asked my name? Well… I guess I am over your authority to-" he said and put his finger to her rose-colored lips to stop her from interrupting him. He looked at Ichigo's face, which was getting angry.

He was right. Ichigo was getting very angry to the point where she just wanted to burst into tears. She didn't want this annoying jerk to dance with her, she wanted Mayasa. This was definitely not how she planned her time to be. She wanted to have a romantic talk with Mayasa, stare into his eyes, walk into the garden, and share a kiss. But that definitely wasn't happening with the annoying boy trying to get her angry and miserable.

Ichigo took a deep breath.

"Okay… if you're here to annoy me, please find somebody else! I'm getting very annoyed with you, and I'm trying to be nice but you always have to just be so RUDE!" Ichigo said honestly, holding back the face of misery which will probably make his smirk wider.

You could tell the blonde-boy felt bad for hurting her feelings, for his smirk wiped off and put in its place was a look of concern, understanding, and regret.

"I'm sorry… I just have a bad habit of toying with people…" the boy said earnestly. He frowned, showing that he was sincere. Ichigo took a moment to think, and decided to forgive him. She smiled at him, giving him her warmest smile. He was confused for a moment, but then understood and smiled back.

"Hello then, my name is Ichigo…" she smiled her warmest smile to him.

"My name is Ryou… Miss Ichigo, you look very beautiful tonight…" the boy said, bowed, and kissed her hand. Ichigo blushed, this was just the boy she met earlier who was rude to her and now he was being quite nice. She curtsied in response.

"Now shall we dance?" he asked. Ichigo didn't say a word. Besides the fact that she didn't like him earlier, she wasn't very graceful. Like her sister said, she was a klutz and horrible at dancing.

Ryou tried to move her but she still didn't budge. He didn't ask, but he had a confused look on his face, and had a type of disappointment in his eyes. Ichigo felt bad since she thought that he though she hated him.

"No Ryou! It's not like that… I just…" Ichigo blushed telling him this. She didn't like others to know she couldn't dance.

"What?" he asked gently.

"I…can't… dance…" she said slowly and he just smirked.

"I'll teach you then…" he said. She looked at him, at first with worry that she'd step on his feet, but she felt a strange trust towards Ryou, so she followed him.

The first few minutes they were dancing were terrible. Ichigo kept on stepping on Ryou's feet. Ryou may have stayed quiet, but his face darkened every time she stepped on his foot.

"I'm so sorry Ryou! You know what… maybe we should stop…" murmured Ichigo, very embarrassed. As she turned away, Ryou grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him.

"No, Ichigo, just relax… and look into my eyes…" he told her as they started dancing again.

Ichigo didn't like the advice he'd given her, since she felt weird every time she stared into his eyes, so she kept her eyes to her feet. He directed her eyes to his, and sooner than later, they were dancing without Ichigo stepping on his foot.

Ichigo looked back at her feet in amazement that she didn't step on his foot. She smiled and then looked at him.

"I can't believe I did it!" she said excitedly. He said nothing and just smiled.

"You know what? I'm usually a klutz at dancing…" Ichigo explained.

"It was nothing…" Ryou shrugged, and just continued smiling. Those moments of dancing were a bliss for Ichigo. Ryou seemed to listen to everything she was saying, though he hardly said a word. Ichigo had a fun time just talking and dancing.

When Ichigo felt okay around him, after they had been dancing for a while, she laid her head on his chest. She felt him tense up, yet he pulled her closer and relaxed again. They had danced like this for a few moments until she heard some giggles and gossip among the girls they passed by. Ichigo immediately realized what she was doing, and pulled her head away from him.

The look on Ryou's face was the same as usual, but more relaxed, and they continued their dance. Ryou still hadn't said a word.

Ryou finally said something once he heard and eyed the bell around Ichigo's neck. He let go of her hand to make it ring.

"That bell looks familiar…" he said frowning a bit.

"It belongs to my ancestor Ichigo… funny on how we were both named the same name!" Ichigo said.

"Well it isn't that funny… I was named after my ancestor too…" he said quietly.

"You are the descendent of Ryou… so what?" Ichigo looked at him yet smiling, he looked at her, surprised, yet just kept on smiling. She was dancing with her family's enemy, something that she would have hated before, but for some reason she didn't care.

"Excuse me…" there was a tap on Ichigo's shoulder. She turned around as her eyes met onyx ones.

"MAYASA!" she squealed.

"Hi Ichigo!" he smiled back. He then stared at Ryou, but said nothing.

"Oh!" Ichigo said dumbly, "Mayasa, this is Ryou, Ryou, this is Mayasa!" she introduced both of them to each other.

She noticed though that though they greeted each other, they didn't shake hands. Before she pointed that out, Mayasa asked her to dance with him. Color rose to her face as she shook her head and turned to Ryou.

"Do you mind?" Ichigo asked Ryou.

"No, I don't mind at all!" Ryou said with a smile.

"A smile that covered his lips, but not his eyes," Ichigo noted.

When she looked at Mayasa again to say that she would dance with him, she noticed that his eyes stared at her hand, or more of what she was holding. She noticed that she was still clutching Ryou's hand, which she let go of immediately and blushed.

She noticed that there was a tiny bit of sadness in Ryou's eyes, but before she could make sure, he kissed her hand and left.

Though she was with her crush, she couldn't help but wish she just kept on dancing with Ryou. There was a feeling with him that made her feel better with him than Mayasa, even if he wasn't exactly the perfect gentlemen. But, Ichigo ignored that thought and turned to Mayasa.

"Would you like to dance m'lady?" Mayasa smiled.

"Of course dear sir," Ichigo mocked and Mayasa just laughed.

"You haven't changed…" he laughed.

"I haven't?" asked Ichigo, a bit disappointed that he didn't think she'd grown prettier.

"You didn't get prettier… you're more beautiful than ever…" Mayasa whispered as he took her chin to make her eyes meet his. Ichigo blushed.

Mayasa put one hand on her waist, while his other the other took hold of her hand, as she danced with him.

Ichigo tried to enjoy the dance, like she always wanted to, but she couldn't. It's funny on how a boy you just met, can take your heart away in just a second.

Ichigo hadn't seen Ryou for the rest of the party, which made her a bit sad. She refused other dances after her dance with Mayasa, and kept near her parents and socializing with other women at the party.

At the end, when the party was over and they were driving home, Ichigo felt a tad sad that she might not be able to see Ryou again. She was unaware that a pair of eyes staring behind a window was watching her carriage leave.

Ichigo went home and up to her room and dressed in her night gown. She let her hair down and brushed it. One would say that she was vain because she kept on brushing it even though it was tangle-free, but it was a way for Ichigo to calm herself down. Ichigo brushed her hair so that she would have something to do with her hands.

ACHOO!

Ichigo sneezed, and her nose was getting red.

"That's just perfect!" Ichigo thought to herself, she was getting a cold.

Mint stopped by her room looking quite happy.

"Looks like somebody's thinking about our young strawberry!" said Mint, skipping down the hallway, leaving Ichigo confused about what she said.

Little did she know that she would be seeing Ryou sooner than she thought…

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_**How was it? U know how it is for every story, and it's also in mine. R&R PPLZ! Again, NO FLAMES! If you really can't help but write a bad thing… please why don't you just say one good thing about it! I'm a bit on the emotional side about the reviews…**_

**_Oh! And for the sneezing thing, if you've watched Bride and Prejudice, you would know what I'm talking about!_**

_**If you haven't, if somebody's thinking of you, you sneeze. That's how you know. Get it? I'm sorry if this chapter was shorter than usual...**_

_**Aphros**_


	3. Chapter 3

_Authors Note: OMG! I totally messed up! okay... this is a good explanation for those confused souls out there. okay, this Ryou and ichigo, they're not from the time with Tokyo Mew Mew. this is WAAAY before TMM... k? the ichigo and ryou in this story, are a generation of the previous lines of ichigo and ryou._

_that means that the ichigo and ryou they were talking about are 100 years before they're time... which is alot of years before the TMM we know today. Get it?_

_And with her having a crush on her cousin... alot of families back then had inter-family marriages so they could keep the wealth within the family. so thats ok if ichigo has a crush on her cousin (i promise you that they're like 5th cousins or sumthin...)_

_would it be more easier if i told u that ichigo and ryou and the real TMM supposedly are reincarnations of the original ryou, ichigo, and mayasa? anywayz... i made them all hav the same name (even the other mews) cuz it'll be reallly confusing if i didnt... that okay? if not... i'll be happy to change they're names but U hav to giv me names since im horrible at making up names._

_and with the other mews.. o this is going to get confusing and this is getting too long... just review it to me if u don't understand..._

_Ok... now im getting on with the story... i really hope u got wat i just explained..._

**Disclaimer: I dont have to complain about anything!**

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**_Previous Chapter:_**

Ichigo sneezed, and her nose was getting red.

"That's just perfect!" Ichigo thought to herself, she was getting a cold.

Mint stopped by her room looking quite happy.

"Looks like somebody's thinking about our young strawberry!" said Mint, skipping down the hallway, leaving Ichigo confused about what she said.

Little did she know that she would be seeing Ryou sooner than she thought…

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**_Chapter 4_**

"MAMA! I'M GOING OUT TO TOWN WITH RETASU! MAY I PLEASE? WE'RE JUST GOING TO BUY SOME DRESSES!" yelled Ichigo, still determined to try to tie her corset.

"Yes darling... that would be absolutely wonderful! I haven't seen your friend in years! You know... she was a beautiful girl. Pity she wears those glasses now..." her mother replied, walking past her bedroom.

"Thank you mama! Retasu and I will be back soon, I promise! I will also buy each of us Christmas presents!" Ichigo said. Ichigo started thinking about how she and Retasu were allowed to be friends. Usually, Ichigo wasn't allowed to get really close to Ryou descendants unless it was parties (all her father's fault, he's picky about them).

Today was only a few weeks after the getting together party. It is getting nearer to Christmas. Retasu and Ichigo are not inter-related like most of the friends she had. Retasu was in the family of Zakuro. The families of Zakuro, Retasu, Ichigo, Pudding, and Mint were often mixed (though this time Mint and Ichigo are sisters) in marriages. Retasu was both from Zakuro and Ryou (no they never married or were ever together). The descendent of Ryou fell in love with a descendent of Zakuro and there was Retasu.

Ichigo reasoned this with herself as she started to go down the stairs. Personally, she hadn't seen Retasu for years yet Retasu sent letters to her often. She was supposed to meet Retasu in Bery Square. As she exited her bedroom door, she saw Mint passing by her.

"Mint! I'm going to Bery Square to meet Retasu! See you later!" Ichigo said bubbling with excitement to see Retasu.

"Sure... erm... Ichigo? Oh never mind..." Mint murmured, but Ichigo closed the door before she even said it. Ichigo didn't notice the frown on Mint's face as she passed by, nor did she notice a diamond ring hanging from a silver chain around her neck, that was hanging around her neck at the end of the party a few weeks ago.

"Mistress Mint, your parents want you to meet them in the library. They said they have made a decision." said a maid a few moments later. Mint's frown changed to a look of worry as she followed the maid to the family library.

Meanwhile, Ichigo was happily skipping down the cobble road to Bery Square. At first, she hesitated.

"Nobody's here to see me though! Nobody comes past here!" Ichigo reasoned with herself. Soon, Ichigo was at Bery Square. There was a Christmas Tree, a gigantic one, exactly in the middle of the square. Ichigo started looking for Retasu around the square.

"ICHIGO!" yelled a familiar voice nearby.

"Huh?" said Ichigo, looking back. Green hair, glasses, books inside her arms... RETASU!

"RETASU! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S REALLY YOU!" squealed Ichigo, running back to meet her friend.

"Neither can I! Can you believe that last time we met was when we were 8! Oh my goodness Ichigo, I would never have known you would actually become a lady! You always seemed like the wild one out of all of us!" Retasu teased. Ichigo just smiled. A chilly wind blew in their faces, and Ichigo put her hood closer, and her hands in the pockets of her warm leather cloak.

"C'mon Retasu! Let's go and buy some gifts for Christmas!" said Ichigo, her cheeks starting to get pink because of the icy wind blowing over the whole square.

"Sure, it is quite cold out here..." agreed Retasu, nodding.

"So what do you want for a Christmas present Retasu?" asked Ichigo while they walked to the bustling part of the village, filled with many stores. The sky was a bit dim, and the windows and light coming through were yellow. They passed by a toy shop where there were many children looking through the window, their eyes in awe.

"Erm... well... I would like the story... Wings..." blushed Retasu. Ichigo gave her a confused look.

"I thought you already read that story!" Ichigo told her.

"Well, remember, that was YOUR book. Wings was a lovely story, and I would like to add it to my own collection of books..." said Retasu, giving an expressionless face.

"But... let me think... you read my book, which I only know the important details of... when I WAS 6! WE ARE NOW 15!" said Ichigo, in shock.

"I don't see your point..." murmured Retasu, giving her an even weirder look than Ichigo gave her.

"My point is that it's been 9 years... and you haven't gotten your favorite book!" Ichigo told her, laughing at the same time. Retasu just blushed.

"Well anyway, sure I'll get you that! And plus, maybe you'd like other stories. I know that you love romance novels, so I'll see what is most bought now!" said Ichigo bubbly.

"What do you want for Christmas?" asked Retasu shyly.

"Good ol' Retasu! You can always count on her being the most innocent..." thought Ichigo to herself. Then the fact hit her of what she wanted for Christmas. What does she want for Christmes?

"Erm... I want a... new dress I guess!" said Ichigo hesitantly. Retasu just smiled.

"That's a very lady-like thing you want!" said Retasu enthusiastically. Ichigo laughed as well, but drifted to the question to what she did want for Christmas. A dress would be nice for Christmas, yet her heart wasn't exactly set on what it wants.

"Retasu... maybe I don't want a dress... but I don't know what I want..." Ichigo stammered. Retasu just looked at her, and looked at her seriously.

"Oh dear... Ichigo thats alright, I'll give you a dress anyway! But you know what? Your heart does know what it wants, but your head just doesn't get it. It's like a delayed reaction... so what do you think Mayasa would like?" said Retasu, smiling.

Ichigo blushed, "How does everybody know I like Mayasa?"

"Shouldn't we buying presents?" said Retasu slyly, not answering Ichigo's answer.

"Sure..." said Ichigo blushing, knowing that Retasu wasn't the person to tell straight out what she wanted.

"So what do you want to get Mayasa?" asked Retasu quietly.

"I don't really know... I know that he loves plants though! Maybe I'll just get him a book about trees!" said Ichigo, her voice falsely enthusiastic.

"That's not a bad idea you know... did you hear about the Christmas party?" Retasu asked.

"Retasu, you must be joking! Of course I heard of the party, it's held in Zakuro's home!" said Ichigo happily.

"Of course..." stammered Lettuce, blushing.

"Do you remember when we met Zakuro?" asked Ichigo, thinking back on how they met.

"Of course! That was when you were in awe of her because she's like the girl with the perfect looks..." said Retasu.

"YOU WERE TOO!" Ichigo squealed, and blushed in embarassment.

"So... have you found anyone for you yet?" asked Retasu quietly.

"You are sure getting romantic about these things... how about you?" countered Ichigo.

"I think I have found him..." Retasu blushed, yet she said it in a breathy voice.

There was an awkward silence between them for a while. They just went around the shops, not really buying anything as they intended. The thing that Ichigo had an eye was a bell on a table in a store they entered. It seemed to be the only one left in stock.

"Oh my goodness, I'm taking these bells to a whole new level..." thought Ichigo to herself as she looked at it. She went to get a closer look while Retasu wandered off to look at something else.

The chain, or more it was a ribbon. It was a pink silk ribbon that felt smooth to the touch. The bell was silver and in a form of something like a heart. Ichigo hadn't noticed how long she was looking at it, for Retasu seemed to be really busy, and nobody except a certain someone came to talk to her.

"You seem to be very fond of that bell... though I find it strange that you haven't bought it yet," said a familiar blonde boy. Ichigo turned around, not knowing who exactly was talking to her, and was about to yell at him. She never noticed how close he was, for when she turned around, their faces were a few centimeters apart from each other.

"Oh... hiiii Ryou..." Ichigo slurred, obviously embarassed of being that close to him. She backed up and watched his eyes travel to the bell she was still holding.

'Why do I get this feeling around him and not Mayasa?' thought Ichigo to herself.

"So are you going to buy that?" asked Ryou.

"No! Of course not! I mean why would I buy a bell? I was just looking at it..." said Ichigo quickly, putting the bell back so abruptly on the table where she found it, that it fell.

"Ok..." said Ryou quietly, still eyeing the bell, "then I'll buy it!"

"WHAT!" Ichigo panicked. She was planning to buy the bell for herself...

"What? What's wrong? I thought you didn't like it?" Ryou teased, a smirk starting to form on his face.

"No, nothing's wrong... I don't like it..." said Ichigo, trying to hold herself together, yet she was failing miserably. She was a klutz, acting like one, as well as looking like one.

"Ok... if nothing's wrong... I'll take it!" said Ryou.

Ichigo watched on sadly as Ryou exited the store with a parcel containing the bell in one arm, and another box with holes in the other.

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R&R

Sorry for the long wait... it's kinda sad. This chapter has been here saved and completed for weeks now and I was just lazy to put it up


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **Well I really don't have anything to say lol :P... oh that reminds me... I'm sorry if the events were going too quick... tell me when it is so I'll try to slow it down...

There's just so much I want to add and new ideas I want to add to this story! lol

**Disclaimer: **I'm perfectly content with being the author of this fanfic… but of course TMM belongs to someone else and not me…

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_**Previous Chapter:**_

_"What? What's wrong? I thought you didn't like it?" Ryou teased, a smirk starting to form on his face._

_"No, nothing's wrong... I don't like it..." said Ichigo, trying to hold herself together, yet she was failing miserably. She was a klutz, acting like one, as well as looking like one._

_"Ok... if nothing's wrong... I'll take it!" said Ryou._

_Ichigo watched on sadly as Ryou exited the store with a parcel containing the bell in one arm, and another box with holes in the other._

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**Chapter 5**

'I swear we're going to too many parties!' Ichigo thought to herself menacingly as she again had trouble with her corset.

She was wondering where Mint was, but decided that she was probably with Haru or someone again.

"Now my lady, you shouldn't swear!" quipped one of the servants around the manor as she passed by her door.

'I said that out loud?' Ichigo thought to herself before shrugging and once again went back to the challenging task of tying her corset.

**&& m E a N w H i L e &&**

Mint was sitting the library, staring helplessly at the fireplace, in the exact place when her parents had made their judgment. She once again fingered the ring on her necklace unconsciously as she thought of what had occurred.

_Flashback_

_"My lady I was instructed to take you to the library. Your parents are waiting for you there," said the servant in a stoic voice._

_Her blackberry eyes darted to his face. His face was expressionless. She had a bad feeling about this._

_The feeling had become even worse as she entered the library. Everything was dark, except for the light in the fireplace on the other side of the room. The room was dimly lighted, but you could see enough that you wouldn't bump into the many shelves of the library._

_"Mama? Papa?" she called out in a weak voice._

_"Come here darling!" she heard her mother call enthusiastically._

_She felt a little better. She approached the two couches that were near the fireplace. Her father had no expression, while her mother was slightly smiling trying to probably make her feel okay. It didn't work however, for she could tell that the smile was forced._

End of Flashback

She was right. There was something wrong, and she's suffering because of it. She couldn't marry him. That was final. She couldn't marry whom she loved because he was a commoner. Marriage wasn't about love. Marriage was about alliances.

Their father stuck too much to the old ways.

**&& b A c K 2 i C h I g O &&**

A soft knocking was heard at her door before it was opened.

"Do you need some help Ichi?" someone asked her.

Ichigo turned around to see that it was her mother. She smiled.

"Yes mama, can you help me with…" she slightly stumbled over her words from embarrassment. It had already been trying to tie her corset together for over half an hour and she still hadn't achieved in doing so.

Her mother smiled, and Ichigo just stared. Her laughter sounded like tinkling of bells, and she held so much grace and beauty. She could never be like her.

"Is there something wrong?" her mother asked. She shook her head furiously as she stopped thinking about thoughts that would never be brought up and would never matter ever again.

"Okay… I tied it for you this time but next time you need to learn darling! It's only proper to learn-"

"-how to tie a corset to become a lady. Yes mother I know, don't think that I cannot remember those things you told me," Ichigo smiled cheekily as she stuck out her tongue.

"Ichigo…" her mother warned her. Ichigo squeaked and her tongue disappeared leaving a blushing Ichigo.

"I'm sorry mother!" she said as silence went over the room again.

Her mother gave her a dress for the occasion for the party, and she was told it was a surprise. She put on the dress and faced the mirror. She gasped.

She was wearing a different dress this time, and again it was pink. There were no sleeves, merely pink puffs at the shoulders. The whole gown was entirely pink, the top hugging her body while the skirt dropped to the floor over her feet flowering out.

"Mama! It's gorgeous!" Ichigo said breathlessly. It truly was a sight. Her hair was already gathered up into a bun, some curls left on her face and touching her neck. A pink lotus flower hair piece was adorning it. She looked so much like-

"It was your ancestor's… also named Ichigo. It looks so beautiful on you…" her mother said with a small smile as she looked at what her daughter had become.

Ichigo looked again at the mirror. Now that she thought about it… she looks almost like-

"You look exactly like her," once again her mother interrupted her thoughts. Ichigo started giggling at the thought of that.

"Did you know that Ichigo was in love with Ryou?" Mama asked her. Ichigo's face reddened.

'I do NOT like Ryou! How could I like that pompous jerk who makes fun of me and taunts me every second!' she thought immediately.

"MAMA HOW COULD YOU SAY THAT I'M IN LOVE WITH RYOU?" she blurted to her mother with her face still in a dark shade of red. Her mother looked shocked.

"I never said you did-" her mother said in amazement.

"But you said-" Ichigo was about to say until her mother interrupted her.

"No, no dear! I meant your ancestors…" her mother said with a giggle before her face turned serious.

"But… it appears as if you're starting to fall in love with him as well…"

Her mother smiled a small smile before getting up. Ichigo watched her mother dumbfounded at her declaration as she walked out the door. Her mother went out of her room and shut her door, but not before she heard her murmuring to herself, "Time is repeating itself…"

"I am NOT starting to fall in love with Ryou!" Ichigo thought stubbornly unconsciously thinking of blonde hair and blue eyes.

**LATER ON…**

Ichigo let Haru bring her down from the carriage before she smiled his thanks. If her mind was not still pondering about what her mother said earlier, she would have noticed that his mood was down.

However, Ichigo just looked on at the glorious mansion of Zakuro. The walls were that of a purple color, as a matter of fact, the house was colored in hues of blue and purple. It reminded her of a blueberry. One huge blueberry except for the fact that it wasn't round and was in a shape of a house. Ichigo caught her trail of thoughts and just shook them away. They were turning a bit too crazy for her liking.

She entered the mansion, it's rooms were lined in gold, silver, and metal. It was beautiful as she saw the floor in a honey color. It was so shiny that she could see her own reflection off of it!

"Ichigo!" she heard a voice call to her. What was it with others who call for her before she could even notice them? Was she truly that ignorant?

"It's good to see you Ichigo!" said Masaya as she turned around. She smiled.

"It's nice to see you too Masaya!" she said enthusiastically. As she looked around. She didn't know what she was looking for but all she knows was that it wasn't Masaya.

"Would you like to dance?" he asked. She just looked at him. Before she realized she was starting, she blushed, and then nodded.

"Wonderful," he said in a soft voice with a certain look in his eyes, as Ichigo's face reddened, but not so much until it was just a lovely pink tint on her nose and cheeks.

Before she knew it, one of his hands covered hers while the other held onto her waist. Then they started dancing. Ichigo for some reason couldn't help but feel disappointed. She did enjoy this time dancing with Masaya… but she wanted to dance with someone else.

'And it is NOT Ryou!' she retorted in her mind, as if someone had did indeed said that she wanted to dance with Ryou.

All denials were lost as she saw over Masaya's shoulders, Ryou and Retasu dancing together in a certain trance. Ryou's eyes were faced in her direction, but since Retasu was in front of him, it was only sensible that he was staring at Retasu. That seemed to bother her a little.

Retasu's cheeks were tinged in a beautiful pink, which made her look angelic. The blonde hairs were waving back and forth while some of the strands on Retasu's head were swaying with the music.

Ichigo realized three things. Retasu liked Ryou, and Ryou seemed to like her back from the looks of them dancing together. She was definitely sure however, that she did not like them dancing together, and definitely wasn't liking the emotion she was feeling.

"Ichigo?" her eyes then once again focused onto onyx ones.

"Yes?" she said smiling, trying to forget what she just saw.

"Nothing… you just seemed sad," he said in a whisper, his face concerned.

"No, I was just thinking about things, that's all," Ichigo said forcing a smile.

"Then let me help you forget about them for now," Masaysa said in a tone she had never heard him use before. There was a mischievous glint and his eyes.

Before Ichigo knew it, he swung her in the air. She did all she could do, she laughed all her troubles away.

She forgot what she had just seen as she enjoyed dancing with one of her friends. Only her friend, because she has not realized she did not love him yet. She loved someone else. Only she was too stubborn to admit it.

'This feeling is wonderful,' Ichigo thought to herself as she got lost into her thoughts while dancing. There was that little tinge of pain in her heart but she ignored it and let herself enjoy her time.

There was a loud call for attention in the room. Ichigo sent a questioning glance to Masaya but he just shrugged.

"We are here happy to announce, that this party was for the celebration of the engagement of Zakuro to Keiichiro!" the old white-haired butler announced in a loud clear voice to the people in the room.

Through the large wooden doors behind him, entered Zakuro and Keiichiro, Zakuro in a beautiful violet and lavender dress with frills, and Keiichiro in a black suit.

Ichigo's eyes widened as she saw the couple. She hadn't seen both of them in years, but she had never known they liked each other! They looked so much in love as they gave each other a small, yet passionate peck on the lips in front of the whole crowd as the mothers 'awed' and the father's clapped with grins on their faces.

Zakuro had grown much from the last time she saw her. She looked so much like a lady, her hair in a tight bun and her bangs to the side. A purple flower was adorned in her hair. Zakuro and Keiichiro then went to the dining tables to talk to friends and family.

Ichigo watched in wonder as she saw how they had reacted. Zakuro was always the proper and quiet one in their little play group when they were children, as well as the oldest. She had seen her sneak glances at Keiichiro, but never once had she thought that Zakuro's childhood crush would ever lead her to marrying Keiichiro.

'Will I ever find love like that?' she thought sadly to herself as she saw Zakuro lean against her soon-to-be husband's chest for support.

"Ichigo!" Masaya snapped her from his thoughts. He looked a bit impatient, but there was this adoration in his eyes that made her smile. He looked truly handsome that night… but he was not the one that caught her attention.

Blue eyes again flashed across her mind.

"What?" asked Ichigo innocently, letting a childish smile overcome her features. Mayasa's eyes softened. He couldn't resist that one. She was too cute, and she knew it.

"Cheater," he said softly.

"Am not!" Ichigo was thinking of sticking out her tongue, but knew better as she just gave him her best glare.

"You know that smile lets you escape my wrath"

"I know," this time, she stuck her tongue out. Mayasa's face then turned into a happy smile before he started leading her too a beautiful balcony in Zakuro's mansion.

She just stared at Mayasa's well sculpted face as he started talking about something. She blinked and there was an image of Ryou. She blinked again and then it was Mayasa, only closer. She squeaked.

"Ichigo?"

"I'm sorry! I was just surprised!"

"I knew you weren't paying attention," he said with a chuckle. Ichigo just laughed a bit.

'I can't like Ryou only after meeting him twice could I?' she thought to herself before deciding maybe it she was attracted to him, but it was only temporary.

"I want to give you something…" Mayasa said before took out of his pockets a bell. A bell which looked just like the one Ryou bought. Too closely to what he bought.

"This is from me…" Mayasa said smiling and then putting it on Ichigo's neck without her notice. The silk was rubbing against her skin, and felt very soft against it. But Ichigo was not feeling that.

She was too busy thinking about the bell.

'So Mayasa just told Ryou to buy a bell for me because he was too busy…' her mind concluded sadly. Maybe Ryou told Mayasa to give it for him, something she would rather have… but then Ryou was too forward to depend on someone else to give it to him. Besides, Mayasa wouldn't lie to her. She knew him too well.

Ichigo mistook four things that night.

One was her attraction to Ryou.

Two was her conclusion of the bell.

Three was Ryou's attraction to Retasu.

While the last one was the unnoticed adoring glances of a certain blue-eyes boy in her direction and a glare at her black-haired companion. If she just noticed those things, she might have been much happier later on.

'Time is repeating itself…' a random thought came from a figure in the shadows, watching as Mayasa talked a one-sided conversation with Ichigo watching her with adoring eyes.

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R&R PLEASE?


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer**: Haha, if I owned this well yeah… it's kinda obvious isn't it?

**A/N**: SO SORRY FOR NOT HAVE WRITTEN IN FOREVER!!! I have a terrible lazy streak. I'll try to update quicker? I'm a terrible person. I hope you don't hate me sniffs

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_**Chapter 6**_

_Pit. Pat. Pit. Pat. _

The door creaked open in the middle of the night, and was shut quickly all the same.

_Pit. Step. Pit. Creak. Pit. Step. Pit. Creak. Pit. Pit. Pit. Pit._

The footsteps from the door were slowly fading into the rhythmic dance of the rain. A chocolate eye opened. What was Mint doing?

_Pit. Pit. Pit. Pit. Pit. Pit._

Ichigo slipped from her mattress as she reached for her robe hanging on the door of her armoir from the corner of the room. Opening the drawer from the vanity, she took out a box of matches and lit the lamp hanging by the door. Her eyes were narrowed in determination.

Mint has been sneaking off in the middle of the night for a few days now. She wouldn't have been suspicious of her eldest sister, but ever since she's been missing meals having them brought to her room claiming she was sick, Ichigo had no choice but to not trust her older sister. Mint has never concurred a fever, or a cold, or a flu… yet she stayed in her room not bothering to get out, and her parents let her. Whenever she asked her mother, she smiled a small smile and told her Mint was feeling sick. As if. If she asked her father, he just huffed and then changed the subject to Masaya. What was going on?

_Creeeaaaak_.

She winced as she realized how much sound she made trying to exit their bedroom. How could Mint do this so… gracefully? Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she began to walk swiftly down the hallway of their house, down the main stairs, and exited her home by the use of main doors.

_BOOM_!

She almost screamed, but settled for a jump in the air as thundering began. Raindrops were dropping heavily on her figure, drenching her thick white nightdress. One side of her advised her to be a good girl, stay inside the house, don't butt into her sister's business, and not get sick. Reasonable and very logical reasons to stay inside that were supplied by her head. Another side of her however, told her to follow her heart. What was her heart saying?

Follow Mint.

_**Flashback**_

"_Mint…?" Ichigo called out from the entrance of her room. Mint hadn't answered. If there wasn't a door blocking her way she would have just entered in like she always had, whether Mint liked it or not, but there was a door blocking her way. Giving a huff, Ichigo called out for her elder sister again as she knocked on the door._

_Still no answer._

_Ichigo was counting in her head, or more of counting the number of virtues instilled within a lady, and if she wanted to become a lady and be noticed by Masaya… well she had to know all of them. Patience was one of them… unfortunately._

'_C'mon Ichigo, you can do it! If you wait long enough, Mint will let you in…' she told herself over and over again in her mind._

_Knock. Again, nothing._

'_Patience…' she thought._

_Knock. Knock._

_A vein was visible on Ichigo's temple. Damn the virtues of women… she was still 15 for heavens sake!! She didn't have to be a woman just yet!!! With that thought, she smiled excitedly and turned the knob of Mint's bedroom door, overjoyed to see it unlocked._

"_Mint!!! Why didn't you answer-" her eyes widened in shock, that she completely forgot what she was going to say afterwards._

_Mint was on her bed, her blue wavy locks running down her shoulders, and her waist down covered by her fluffy light blue blankets. It wasn't the fact that Mint was still in her bed after wake up time… it was the fact that she was crying. Tear streaks were seen lining her cheeks as her eyes were bloodshot and puffy._

"_ICHIGO!!" Mint cried out in shock, with slight nervousness edged with anger in her tone. "Haven't I told you that you couldn't go into my room unless you had my permission???"_

_Ichigo, seeing Mint's helpless state and need for control, stayed silent as she watched her sister wipe away the tears. Mint felt ashamed. With that, her chest heaved and the tears started running again._

_**End of Flashback**_

Ever since then, not only did Mint lock her door often, but she grew more rebellious towards their father that one day he slapped her and she refused to leave her room after that. Her arms reached up to hug her petite form, not giving as much protection as she hoped from the heavy raindrops falling on her body. She flinched as another loud roar of thunder echoed through the skies. Afterwards, she heard somebody yelling. In sheer desperation. It sounded like Mint!

"Haru lets run away!"

That did not sound like Mint. Not at all. It was her voice, but never had she heard her own sister sound so… defeated. She ran to find the location of the yelling, which was in fact very faint under all the noise of the rain, but she finally arrived leaning her ear close to the door of the horse barn. At least they chose a place to talk that had a large roof so that she was no longer getting even more wet now that there was something to shield her from the rain.

She couldn't make out the words like the previous yell, because it was so calm and quieter than the statement before it. A gut feeling told her though that it was Haru. Hearing her sister shreak again, the rain mutilated any of the sounds trying to seep through the wooden door of the barn house so she looked for the open air window. Bending lower to the ground so she wasn't caught, she went to the other side to hear the conversation better. Much, much better.

"Min… you have to calm down…" It was definitely Haru.

"How can I calm down?? You know that they are doing this just to spite me!" Then went Mint. Who's 'they'?

"They aren't Mint. They're doing this for your sake, so that you will be happier. The man sounds like he is more than willing to make you feel happy, loved, and make sure that all the things you desire are given to you."

"HARU!!" Ichigo thought that she could hear well enough… but she was curious. She could see in her mind Haru's calm face trying to get Mint calm down… but she wanted to see it herself. Straightening herself a bit more, she peeked through the window.

Mint was crying again. Her chest was heaving heavily, as her fists beat against Haru's chest. Haru was holding her a little less than arm's with, by the waist. His face was distraught as he tried to calm the woman in front of him.

"Mint…" he said softly as Mint looked at him, and then boldly lunged forward and kissed him hard on the lips. Ichigo gasped loudly, but was grateful for another boom of thunder in the background.

Haru's body tensed, not knowing if he should push her away or return the kiss. He chose the former. His arms clutched Mint's arms and pushed her away so that they were arms length again, as Mint's eyes widened.

"Mint… we can't… do this," he panted, struggling to not pull his love back to him and kiss her again. A tense atmosphere shrouded them as he waited for Mint to say something.

"You…do not love me anymore." Mint said softly, the tears stopping, her voice growing softer at her own statement. Haru was surprised that she said that, and tried to say otherwise but she ran away, slamming the barnyard door and into the rain. The door was slammed to hard so it bounced back open, with Haru running before stopping himself as he saw a flash of lightening.

"Mint!!" He called after her from the open entrance. The heavy storm drowned out everything. Ichigo felt her chest constrict, as she pushed herself from the barnhouse, and let herself get drenched in the rain. Haru retreated back into the barn house and closing the door. The flame lighting the old shack was turned off, as Ichigo started crying herself… for her sister… and for herself, though she did not know the reason yet.

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ACHOO!!! Ichigo sneezed, as she gave out a groan. She was sick because of the storm a few days ago. It was a day before Christmas. Joy.

Thoughts of what happened nights before came back to her, as she put her head in her hands, shaking, to not remember the look on her sister's face… to not see her heart breaking into tiny pieces… to not see that the fairy tale endings Retasu read about did not happen to everyone. She heard from one of her maids that her sister was sick as well… and was sleeping more often than fed… and when she was fed she only ate a little bit before falling back to sleep.

"Poor dear… she has nightmares everytime her eyes close…" her ears tuned onto the voice right outside her door. Servant's gossip.

"I hear it's because Haru rejected her!" someone said sharply.

"It couldn't have been… the boy loves her! He asks about her everyday," an older voice said.

"Well I hear it's because her parents are marrying her off to some fat rich man who's been asking for her hand ever since she was 15!"

"EW!" shrieked, most likely, one of the youngest maids in the household. She was quickly shushed.

"Be careful with what you say Rina! He is definitely not a fat man. He's one of the most eligible and honorable bachelors out there… and he is very handsome!!" A few more hushed words were said before they were obviously interrupted by someone coming up the stairs.

"Shouldn't you be dusting the vases?" a matured feminine voice said.

"Yes mistress!" they all replied immediately as the footsteps were lured away from her room and a new pair of light steps approached it. Two soft knocks, and the door was opened to reveal her mother smiling with a tray of chicken soup.

"Good morning darling! How are you feeling?" she asked in a concerned, yet light voice. Ichigo weakly smiled, then sneezed again, while muttering about her hatred for colds.

"That's what you get for gavallanting around the grounds during a storm!" her mother hid a laugh behind her hand before continuing, "but I do not blame you. It is very beautiful outside when it rains."

Ichigo looked at her mother with a curious gaze as she asked about Mint. Her mother's small smile completely disappeared as she commented her condition was getting worse. Mint refused to eat, and slept too often… only to have something plaguing her mind causing stressful rests which were not good to her health.

"But she will get better. She always does. Your elder sister is strong… her heart will pull through tough times…" said Silvia looking at her daughter eye to eye.

Ichigo looked at her mother, noticing the lines on her forehead, and the bags under her eyes. Her mother wasn't doing very well either. She could almost see Mint in her mother… her eyes at least. They shared the same blue eyes, while Ichigo shared the same hair color with her mother. While the elder woman distressed over her daughter, Mint was distressed over love. Her thoughts were interrupted as she felt a gentle pat on her cheek and a soft kiss to her forehead.

"Get well dearest… tomorrow is Christmas. Be happy." Before her mother left the room, she called out to her.

"Doesn't every love story have a happy ending Mama?" she asked strongly… believing that there was a hope that Haru and Mint would be happy again, even if it didn't seem that way now. Silva was silent for a few moments, and then Ichigo continued.

"I mean Retasu has never told me of a love story that did not in fact have a happily ever after!! You had a happily ever after!!" she alleged. Her mother turned to her slowly, before giving her a sad smile.

"Retasu will not read love stories that do not have happy endings dearest… one day I will tell you a story that does not have a happily ever after…" her mother said softly before leaving the room.

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R&R


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